At my friend Mark’s house, we had a few video games we loved to play.  One of them was named Pitfall.  With your joystick (a simple stick with one button), you moved your person right or left and hit the button to both jump over obstacles and to catch vines to swing over open pits.  I loved this game and have thought of it often over the years. 
 
During my December time off from the office, I was on my smartphone and looking at some of the apps available.  There it was!  Pitfall, by Activision.  Without hesitation, I downloaded it ready to relive my fond childhood memories.  I opened the app and there was the original screen with the 1980's graphics and simple music.  But it disappeared quickly to reveal a new high tech version of the game.  On this new version, you actually can see the detail on the face of the person you navigate, the graphics move smoothly, your angle of view changes and the music and sound effects have depth.  It is truly modern. 
 
Things change.  They do not stay the same.  The things that stay the same have a tendency to disappear or become irrelevant because times, technology and tastes do not remain stagnant.  We as a Jewish community have changed over the years.  And our institutions have and continue to change for the needs of today and tomorrow.  Changing what we are used to, the status quo, can be very difficult for some individuals "to swallow".  We like what is familiar.  Yet, we must continue to adapt.   
 
I still think fondly of my old Pitfall days in the Waldman's living room and I'm still upset that my parents wouldn't buy me an Atari.  But today, I have a new, modern version of Pitfall on my very own smartphone.  I hope that at some point I can play the old Atari version and relive those moments of my childhood.  I know it will be fun but I also know it will show me how dated and simplistic that old game is.  Tastes have changed and the new version of Pitfall is what consumers are seeking.

Let's allow and support our community, its institutions and programs to innovate and change to help us navigate towards our new Jewish future. 

Shabbat Shalom.

Jeff Finkelstein, President/CEO